Unbeaten heavyweight Onoriode Ehwarieme will now face Rodney Hernandez in an eight-round attraction as part of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes Saturday, June 1 from Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto, California.
The telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by former two-division world champion Devon Alexander “The Great” taking on exciting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach in a 10-round battle.
PBC Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated featherweight contender Jhack Tepora in a 10-round showdown against Jose Luis Gallegos. Plus, former world champion Marlon Tapales squares off against Roberto Castaneda in a 10-round super bantamweight fight. With Tepora and Tapales, the Prelims telecast will see two rising contenders from the Philippines. Tepora ia closing in on a world title opportunity, while Tapales is seeking a title in a second division.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Soboba Box and Soboba.com.
Representing his home of Sapele, Nigeria, Ehwarieme (17-0, 16 KOs) was a 2008 Olympian who is unbeaten since turning pro in 2010. The 31-year-old has a 16-fight knockout streak heading into his U.S. debut, as he continues to seek a path to becoming the first Nigerian heavyweight champion since Samuel Peter. He will be opposed by San Jose, California’s Hernandez (12-7-2, 3 KOs), who defeated Nick Jones and then unbeaten LaRon Mitchell in 2018. The 30-year-old has battled heavyweight standouts Adam Kownacki, Michael Hunter and Efe Ajagba in a career dating back to 2011.
The 24-year-old Tepora (22-0, 17 KOs) most recently stopped Edivaldo Ortega in the ninth-round last July as he continued his climb up the featherweight ranks. Fighting out of Cebu City, Philippines, he is unbeaten since turning pro in 2012 and will make his U.S. debut on June 1. He takes on the 24-year-old Gallegos (16-6, 12 KOs), who was born in Chicago but now lives in Bakersfield, California. Gallegos had an 11-fight winning streak until losses in his last two bouts.
Representing Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines, Tapales (32-2, 15 KOs) captured a bantamweight world title by knocking out Panya Uthok in the 11th round of a back and forth championship bout. The 27-year-old has since moved up in weight and most recently stopped Fernando Vargas Parra in his U.S. debut in February. He will face Castaneda (23-11-2, 16 KOs), who hails from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The 27-year-old Castaneda is coming off a majority draw against Tyler McCreary in his last fight in March.
In non-televised action a pair of unbeaten prospects in Santa Maria, California’s Jose Balderas and Julio Garcia of Madison, Wisconsin square off in a bantamweight bout. Anthony Chavez of Redlands, California takes on Milwaukee’s Mike Fowler in a four-round super featherweight fight. Justin Cardona of Salinas, California meets Liberia’s Archie Weah in a four-round super lightweight bout. Undefeated Mexican featherweight Francisco Ochoa battles Phoenix, Arizona’s Jesus Aguinaga in an eight-round bout. Unbeaten Filipino featherweight John Leo Dato appears in a six-round bout and Garden City, California’s Jose Perez clashes with Los Angeles-native Mario Ayala in an eight-round featherweight bout.
Also in action, unbeaten Ukrainian super featherweight Viktor Slavinskyi meets Mexico’s Ernest Guerrero. Santa Maria, California’s Aaron Morales clashes with Mexico’s Robert Pucheta in a six-round bantamweight bout. San Antonio, Texas’ Robert Rodriguez battles Jose Rodriguez of Markesan, Wisconsin in a four-round bantamweight bout and Denver’s Shon Mondragon takes on Mexico’s Jose Fabian Naranjo in a six-round super bantamweight bout.